Improvement in machines for manufacturing watch-cases



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YTHOMAS BRADFORD DILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Leners Patent iv 106,561, daad August 23, 18m.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING WATCH-CASES.

The Schedule referred to n these Letters Patent and making part `cf the same.

To (lll to whom. these presents shall come Be it known that I, THOMAS .BRADFORD Dimi, of Boston, in the vcounty of 'Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have made an invention ot' a new and useful Machine for Producing \Vatch-Clases, or details thereof; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descript-ion thereof, due reference being had to the accompanying drawing making partot' this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan; l

Figure', a side elevation;

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections; and

Figure 5, a front elevation cfa machine embodying my invention.

The machine in which ny invention is embodied contains a matrix or die, suitably supported in a hori- Zonta] position, and operated by instrnmentalities hereinafter explained, while in combination with such dies I employ two reducing-rollers orrevolving swages, mounted upon spindles or arbors situated in immediate proximity to the matrix, and traveling in unison about its upper surface, one rollerrevolving in a vertical, and the other in a horizontal 'path of motion with respect thereto, the former being susceptible of vertical movements toward Aor from the matrix, and being intended for depressing and condensing the metal blank into the sinuosities or cavities of the matrix, andthe otiice of the latter being to preventlateral distcnsion and fracture of the blank, which, but for it, or an analogous device, wouldI ensue from the compression of the metalnnder the action of the tiret-mentioned rolier, a further component part of the primary features of the mechanism ot' this invention heilig the adoption of a cylindrical plunger, moving in a perpeddicular path, and serving not only to con-- linc the metal blank to the matrix during the operation of the machine, but to act as a support to the sides of the same, and Vto preserve the. proper cylin-` drical form of such sides, and also to constitute the inner wall of the annular die, into which the port-ion ot' the blank that projects above the face of the matrix or female die is to be compressed. Y

As the shect-nletal blank introduced within the matrix receives the exact impress of the latter,it rcsultsft-ha't for the different port-ions of a watch-case different matrices or dies are to be provided, but, tlms thereto by the plungenbctbre mentioned, the edges or boundaries, or the irregular depressions of the cover or center being the portion lproduced bythe revolving rollers before mentioned. L

\Vith this digression I will proceed with the construction and operation of the-machine..

-In the drawing accompanying.,r this specification- A denotes an upright cylindrical post or standard,

erected upon, and supported in a perpendicular posit-ion by a bed-plate or base, B, the lower part of such standard being provided with a male screw, O, which is cut upon its periphery for some distance above the base B, butfor purposes hereinafter alluded t0.

Upon the upper part of the standard or post A, amlrevolving freely thereupon, is mount-edatlathorizontal disk or face-plate, l), the revolutions of this disk being effected by means of an annular beveled gear or rack, E, formed upon its lower face, into which meshes abevelcd pinion, F, mounted ulpou the inner extremity of a horizontal shaft, Gr, which is supported, and rotates in a standard, H, erected upon -the base B of the machine, andto one side of the disk, as represented in the drawing, the outer` end of the said sha-ft G heilig provided with fast and loose pulleys, I l, after the manner of machinery in gcneral, the shaft G and pinion F being the drivingpower of the machine.

Upon the upper face of the disk or face-plate D, and revolving with it, are the rollersbefore alluded to.

The first: named, as being the one for effecting the depression of tbe sides o f the sheet-metal blank to be operated lupon, and which is shoivnat J is mounted upon the inner extremity of a horizont-al oscillating arm or lever, a, which lever is fulcrumed upona post,

b, supported upon the revolving disk or tablet D,

and about midway between its center and circumference,l

The post b, last mentioned, is inserted within a radial sheltlgroove, c, formed in the upper face ofthe disk D, and is to be provided with a suitable means of feeding it toward or away from the central standard A, in order that; theV position of `its roller J, with respect to the latter, or the matrix carried by it, may' be varied to correspond with the varying height of thee sides or walls ofthe different blanks which are introduced to the machine.

The outer end of the lever a is pivoted to the upper extremity ot' a pitman, cl, the lowerend ot which is, in -turn, 'pivoted to a lateral offset.,- c, of a tubular' sleeve, f, which compresses, and both slides vertically.

post A, and Le.ow the tablet D.

-fent of thedepression of said lever. The upper end tof the central YpostV A is 'tubular or"Y vwatcl-r-case which is to be produced, whether the vthe disk D,'l1ereinbc fbre `mentioned,y this last men- .right, u, erected upon the surface of the revolving- This sleeve f is formed with an annular spline or rib, g, which circurnscribes it while clasping this rib; the reader will see a\for'k or clasp, h, which makes part of the hub fi of a handfwhecl, j, such hand-wheel being mounted upon a post, A, and below the said sleeve, and having an interior female screw, It', to screw upon the male scrw G, hereinheforc mentioned as being cut upon such post.

Revolution ofthe lrarrd-wlreel j in either' direction will effect sympathetic vertical nrovernents of the roller j' toward or away from the r'i'pper end of the post A, or its matrix.

Hence, by manipulation of the har'rd-wl'reel at the hands of an attendant, the vertical adjustment of the roller' J is controlled.

lAin adjustable stop or regulator', l, is situated below the inner end ofthe lever' a, to determine the excavernous, and is for reception ofthe shank m of the moldingdie or' matrix hereinbeforc frequently alluded to, and which is represented iu the. accompanying drawing at a.

This matrix, in its interior conformation, is of such' construction as to correspond to the portion of a cover, glass bezel or center, Src., and is to beheld securely to the post or arbor A4 by a screw or other suitable device.

Both the' upright and horizontal rollers act in conjunction with the upper surface of the matrix a, the latter roller being shown at 0 as mounted andrevolving 'freely upon an upright post, p, erected upon a sliding block or carrier, q, which is contained within a radial shelf-groove, lr, formed in the upper face of tioned groove being of similar character to the groove c, and disposed with respect thereto irr such manner that the roller o shall preferably act-in .advance of the roller J, as the two travel in company, in a circular path', about the upper circumference ofthe matrix.

lThe vertical adjustment of the roller or swage 0 toward or away fr'orrr the matrix is effected by means of'a male screw, s, cut upon the'lower end offits postV 1), and which screws into the carrier q,'befmfe mentioned, while the horizontal adj ustnrent of said roller, relatively to the matrix, is effected by means ot' a horizontal screw, t, which is screwed through an up,-

disk D, the inner end of said screw abutting against the outer side of the post p, as represented in the drawing.

'.lhe plunger' to which allusion has before been made in this context, is exhibited in the annexed drawing at a', as a. cylindrical block, inserted Awithin the lower end of a perpendicular sliding arbor or spindie, K,such arbor being situated above the central post A, and in axial aligrnnent therewith, and playin'g within a cross-head, y, sur-mounting the disk l), and its adjuncts, and supported upon columns, z 5,) erected upon the base of' the machine, a spline and groove connection being created between the arbor and cross-head, to prevent rotatiorrof the former within the latter.

The vert-ical feeding of the arbor' and plunger, or the recession and approach of the same with respect to the post A, and its matrix, are effected by means of an upright screw, c', which is screwed through a second cross or transverse bar, b, spanning the upper ends of th'e columns z z, and situated over the crosshead-y, such screw being in axial alignment with the arbor lo, and being swivele'd toit in a suitable manner.

'lhe upper extremity of this latter screw a' is pro vided with a hand-wheel, c', for rotating iteirrV either'r direction.

The above constitutes the' chief and characteristic mechanical features of a machine embodying my inveution, although'such constituent parts are susceptible of a large range in details.

'The operation of a machine organized substantially as above set forth in brief', is as fol'lows:

The circular piece ofv metal destined to form the desired object is first cnt from a sheet., and struck up by a suitable press into the form shown in Figure (i of the accompanying drawing, which is a section' of' a blank.

This '-blank, thus produced, is placed bottom down within the matrix u, and the plunger lowered, (by means of the screw a') until it meets the blank, and clamps it tightly to and within the matrix, it being understood that the diameter ofthe plunger or die is somewhat less than that of the matrix, in order to allow of consolidation, and, when necessary, expansion ille lell. 'du Y i: 'i Y The driving-pinion is next put in revolution, which imparts rotation to the tablet D, the roller o being previously advanced until it nearly or quite impinges against the outer' face of the side or wall of' the blank, thus serving to prevent' lateral crushing or misplacement of such wall.

As the two rollers, by the' revolution of the tablet, travel about the blank, the upright roller rests upon the upper edge of' such blank; consequently, if the attendant, by means of the screw c, depr'esses the -said roller, the side or wall of the blank will be compressed, and forced within the space between the circumference of the plunger' or male die, and, as a natural result, such blank w ll receive the impress bf the characters formed in such die, of whatever nature they may be, whether intended for producing the hir'rge-bearer, the thumb-piece, the pendentlip, &c.

In order to produce these details of' the watch-case, I am compelled to employ a sectional plunger, with a detachable die for producing the individual detail', since, were this portion-of the plunger made integral with its main body, the watch-cover could not bc detached from it. f

The amount of met-al contained in the wall or sides of a blank is to'bo so czrlculated as to produce the exact effect required. For instance, in 'producing a cover', t-lre length of the side or inclosing rirn of tire blank should be such that, upon compressing and depressing the metal it shall not only be crowded into the beading formed in the matrix, but shall expand its upper edge inward to such an extent as to produce an over-hanging lip, as shown at diu Figure 7 of the drawing, which is a section of a portion of the matrix and plunger, and of the cover of a watch case;

I have found in practice that the operation of the horizontal roller is attended with less strain, and performs' its work in a much more perfect manner, by bevehng its lower edge, as shown rn the drawing.

I would here remark that in addition to the twoswaging or compressing and forming rollers carried by the rotatingtablet D, other iusirrnnentalities may aswell be applied thereto, a milling\vhell for milling the outer edge of' the center' of' the case.v

C heim-s.

I claiml. The'cornbinatiorr with the matrix and plunger', of two rollers or' revolving swages, mounted, the one upon a vertical, and the other' .upon a horizontal axis,

andarranged to movein a circular' path 'around the plunge and to operate in conrrectiou with said plungerand matrix, substantially as described, so that the fbrrnerrollcr shall prevent the lateral displace. ment or fracture of 'thatportion of the blank wtich projects above the matrix, While the latter roller is crowding or compressing the said 1 ortion of the blank down into the space. between the vmatrix and the plunger, as set forth.

2., Thecombination with the matrix and plunger, of the tworollers or revolving swages J and O, the revolving tablet D, upon which said rollers are mounted, and the means, substantially as described, whereby said rollers may be both vertically and laterally adr justed with respect to said matrix and plunger, as shown and set forth.

.3. The combination with the roller J, oscillating arm a, and post b, supported'upon the tablet D ofthe ptmau d, sleevej; and wheel j, arranged substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with the elements named in the the preceeding clause, the adjustable stop e', arranged and operating as set forth.

5. The combination and arrangement of the revolv-` ing tablet D, post A, matrixn, rollers J and o, plunger as, arbor k, and screw a', the whole operating together to produce results hereinbefore explained.

lVitnesses: THOS. BRADFORD DILL.

FRED. CURTIS, EDWARD GRIFFITH. 

